FORCED LNDG RESULT OF FUEL STARVATION.

Date: 1993-12 · Aircraft: Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|aircraft-equipment-problem-less-severe|inflight-event-encounter-cftt-cfit|other-unspecified

Synopsis

FORCED LNDG RESULT OF FUEL STARVATION.

Narrative

DEPARTED FULLERTON ARPT; CA; AT APPROX XA10 AM ON DEC/WED/93 ENRTE TO FALCON FIELD; MESA; AZ. W OF PHX TCA WERE HANDED OFF BY ZAB TO PHX APCH CTL AND DSNDED FROM 11500 FT TO 7500 FT WITH VECTORS S OF PHX SKY HARBOR. HAD DEPARTED FUL WITH AN ESTIMATED 45 GALLONS OF FUEL ABOARD; AND BOTH FUEL GAUGES INDICATING 1/2 TANK OR ABOVE; AND HAD USED APPROX 24-25 GALLONS ENRTE; FROM A COMBINATION OF BOTH TANKS (L TANK FOR CLB AND INITIAL CRUISE; THEN R TANK FOR THE BAL OF FLT). THE R FUEL GAUGE INDICATED ALMOST EMPTY WHEN APCH CTL STARTED VECTORS AND DSCNT S OF PHX TCA; SO I SWITCHED BACK TO THE L TANK; WHICH WAS STILL INDICATING ABOUT 1/2 FULL. SHORTLY AFTER REACHING 7500 FT MSL; THE ENG SURGED AND LOWER PWR; SO SWITCHED BACK TO R TANK AND ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP. ENG RAN ABOUT 1 - 1 1/2 MINS THEN SURGED AND DIED SO WENT BACK TO L TANK (GAUGE INDICATING APPROX 1/2 FULL); UNTIL ENG DIED AGAIN AND WOULD NOT RESTART. DECLARED AN EMER WITH PHX APCH AND TURNED TOWARD GOODYEAR ARPT 6-7 MI AWAY. CTLED DSCNT AND FORCED LNDG IN SOFT FIELD ABOUT 3 MI FROM GOODYEAR. L FUEL GAUGE STILL INDICATING 1/2 FULL AFTER IMPACT AND STOP. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: GEAR WAS EXTENDED FOR LNDG. NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED IN THE SOFT GND RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE NOSE. HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY INQUIRY FROM THE FAA. FUEL GAUGE WAS FOUND STUCK ON THE 1/2 FULL INDICATION. DOES NOT HAVE AN ACCURATE FUEL FLOW GAUGE.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.